Flange.



UNITED STATES Patented October 6, 1903. PATENT OFFICE.

'FREDERICK OHRISTPI'IOR BILLINGS, OF MACON, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, AND WAYNE B. ALLEN, OF COLUMBIA, MISSOURI.

FLANGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 740,796, dated October 6, 1903. Application filed February l2, 1903. Serial No. 143,006. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FREDERICK CHRIST- PHOR BILLINGs,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Macon, in the county of Macon and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Flange, of Which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Theinvention relates to piano-actions; and its object is to provide a new and improved flange arranged for convenient and secure attachment to a rail or other part of the pianoaction, and more especially designed to form a means for supporting the spring employed to press the part hinged on the flange.

The invention consistsof novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the inventionis represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the Views.

Figure l is a side elevation of the improvement applied to the center rail for carrying the damper-lever and the hammer-butt. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the improvement, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view of the improvement on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

On the hammer or center rail A of the piano action are secured iianges B B' by means of flange-screws C C', and the said flanges carry at their free ends pivots D D', of which the pivot D is engaged by the hammer-butt E of a hammer E, While the pivot D is engaged by a damper F, so that the said hammer and damper are free to swing on the said pivots in the usual manner.

The flanges B and B are approximately alike in construction, and each is formed from a single piece of spring metal `bent upon itself to form a pivot-bearing B2 for the corresponding pivot D or D and diverging members B3 B4, having registering apertures for the passage ofthe corresponding flange-screw C or C. One of the members has one end turned up to form a lug B5 for engaging a longitudinal groove in the rail Aand one of the said members of each flange B or B has upturned lugs B6 for carrying bushed pins 5o G G', of which the bushed pin G inthe flange B is engaged between the lugs by the coil H of a spring H, pressingv with its free end the hammer-butt E and having its other end H2 resting on the member of the flange B, carrying the upturned lugs B6. The Iiange B carries in its lugs B6 the bushed pin G for receiving the coil I of a spring I, pressing With its free end the damper F and having its other end I2 resting on the top member of 6o the iiange B.

By reference to Fig. l it will be seen that the inner member B4 of the iiange B is provided With the lugs BG, Whilethe top or outer member B3 of the ange B carries the said 65 lugs BG; but in either case the lugs support bushed pins for receiving the coils of the springs H or I, so that each flange has integral means forsupporting the spring em ployed to press vthe part hinged on the flange. 7o

It is to be understood that the improvement can be applied to other parts of the piano-action besides the hammer and damper action shown.

From the foregoing it Will`be seen that the device is very simple and durable in construction, is not liable to get out of order, and requires no special devices for holding the springs andsecuring the same to the flanges as heretofore practiced. o

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A ilange made from a single piece of spring metal, bent upon itself toform a pivotbearing and diverging members, one of the members having integral upturned lugs, and a transverse pin carried by the said lugs, for receiving the coil of a spring. pressing the part held on the said pivot-bearing, as set 9o forth.

2. A ilange made from a single piece of spring metal, bent upon itself to form a pivotbearing and diverging members, one of the members having integral nptnrned lugs, a In testimony whereof I have signed my pin held on the said lugs, and a spring havname to this specification in the presence of ing a coil between its ends, the ooil engaging two subscribing Witnesses.

the said pin, one end of the spring pressing FREDERICK CHRISTPHOR BILLINGS.

5 the part heid on the said pivot-bearing, and Witnesses:

the other end of the spring resting on the member carrying the lugs, as set forth.

THos. S. MATTHEWS, R. I. MATTHEWS. 

